“I think it can be really difficult if you’re a female in this industry, and the irony of that is that every single client I’ve ever worked with says females are their audience. Females are the ones who buy natural products, but the way we treat females in our own industry is not so healthy.” (Pull-Quote) from the article that Robyn Lawrence wrote when she interviewed me about INICIVOX’s Elephant in the Room Sexism Series in Nutrition Business Journal (July 2023 awards issue). Read the full article here: https://www.newhope.com/vitamins-and-supplements/nbj-award-education
I was lucky to run into Robyn at NBJ Summit the day after I received the NBJ Education award. She wrote a beautiful article about how I developed and directed the sexism series. She took a lot of time with me and really wanted to understand where I was coming from. In the interview, I gave her a lot of information, that she skillfully wove together to capture the various aspects of the series, its purpose and voices of those who were involved or participated.
I’ve been thinking a lot about this quote I gave Robyn for her story on how women are not often treated well or elevated. One of the topics we uncovered in our sexism series is that women often don’t treat other women well. This was shocking to a lot of men who participated on our panels. I can think of many times where I’ve even been dismissed by other women at conferences like the NBJ Summit. So when I ran into Robyn, it was such a pleasure to meet her in person, and got me thinking about all the supportive ways both men and women can elevate women in the office and at conferences to turn this negative trend around:
- Respect and Equal Ground: Every idea and voice counts! Treat women colleagues with respect, irrespective of their role. Equality is the cornerstone of a progressive workplace.
- Amplify Voices: Listen actively and amplify women’s contributions. Encourage them to share their perspectives and ideas. A diverse range of voices fuels innovation.
- Mentorship and Support: Extend a helping hand! Offer mentorship and guidance to women as they navigate their career paths. Your support can be a game-changer.
- Recognition and Credit: Shine a spotlight on accomplishments! Give credit where it’s due and celebrate achievements. Acknowledgment bolsters confidence and motivation.
- Flexible Work Culture: Embrace flexibility! A flexible approach enables women to excel both personally and professionally. We wear many hats!
- Safe Environment: Foster a safe space for open discussions. Zero tolerance for harassment or bias ensures a nurturing environment for growth.
- Skill Development: Invest in continuous learning. Encourage women to upskill and pursue professional development opportunities. Sponsor these opportunities for them. Knowledge is power.
- Inclusive Decision-Making: Include women in decision-making processes. Diverse perspectives lead to well-rounded choices and outcomes.
- Promote Leadership: Nurture leadership skills. Provide avenues for women to step into leadership roles and inspire others on their journey.
- Champion Growth: Be a champion of women’s success! Root for their advancement and actively promote their achievements.
Together we can create an industry where all talents shine and success knows no bounds. #MentorshipMoment #MentorshipInMinutes #NaturalProducts #NBJSummit2023